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Taylor Swift has been handed a top honour in Tennessee for using her country music to inspire young people.

Officials at Northwest Tennessee Disaster Services have named the Love Story hitmaker the recipient of the 2012 Honorary Star of Compassion Award.

The organisation's director Rob Adcock says, "Taylor Swift has inspired the small community of Northwest Tennessee with her uplifting words and music of encouragement and has become a positive role model for the young and old alike here.

"It is with great honour and appreciation that we present this one of a kind, jewelled award to such an outstanding individual on behalf of our organisation."

Swift, who moved to Tennessee as a teenager to pursue her career, often uses her fame to support the state's facilities - she donated 14,000 books to a library earlier this year (12), and last month (May12) it was revealed she had handed over $4 million to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.